Peter Guadagni – Candidate for Vice President of Administration

The Election Committee has deemed that Peter Guadagni is a member in good standing of USMS. The candidate has indicated he is planning to attend the HOD Meeting for this election year and, if elected, is planning to attend all HOD Meetings during his tenure in office.

The candidate was nominated by Nadine Day and received letters of recommendation from Barry Fasbender and Jeanne Ensign in accordance with our Election Operating Guidelines.

The candidate provided the following responses on the Candidate Questionnaire/Consent- to-Run Form:

Section Two: Candidate Qualifications I am a member in good standing of USMS in this election year: __X___Yes _____ No I am planning to attend the HOD Meeting for this election year: __X___Yes _____ No I am planning to attend all HOD Meetings during my tenure in office:__X___Yes ___No I have attended more than 1 HOD Meeting in the past five years? __X___Yes _____No I am a resident and a member of the Zone from which I seek election (Director Candidates only): _____Yes _____No __X___NA

Please list the USMS National HOD Meetings you have attended, including the dates of attendance: I have attended every convention from 2010 through 2016. I was present for all HOD meetings at each convention.

Section Three: Questions Why are you interested in this position and why do you believe you would be a good candidate? The joy I have received from Masters , first as a fitness swimmer and more recently as a competitor, created a desire to give back to USMS. The Vice President of Administration position, with its oversite of the Championship, Legislation, Registration and Rules Committees and place on the Board and Executive Committee, provides an opportunity to use my volunteer and professional experience to further serve the organization. As a certified official for over ten years, I understand the rules of our sport, how to apply them and the impact when they are changed. My three years on the Legislation Committee and experience leading the effort to reorganize the Pacific LMSC by laws taught me the importance of maintaining clear and concise governing documents. Having competed and officiated at multiple Nationals and served 6 times as Meet Director of the Pacific Masters Short Course Yards Championships (700 – 800 participants), I bring multiple perspectives to the challenges the Championship Committee faces. My supervision of Pacific’s paid Registrars as the LMSC’s chair and my use of USMS systems as the current Pacific sanction chair has familiarized me with our registration process and systems. In addition to my qualifications for the VP of Administration position, I believe my skills and experience will make me an asset to the USMS leadership team. As a member of the Finance Committee, I regularly review the USMS budget, giving me exposure to the many programs on which our funds are deployed. Professionally I have lead and grown a regional marketing consulting group, was the executive in charge of a national information technology services and consulting operation, owned a small business, and currently manage a municipal electric and gas utility. These varied leadership experiences have taught me to respect what works but never stop looking for new solutions and opportunities. Perhaps my most important attributes for this and every other position I have held are a desire to listen, a passion for continuous improvement, and an optimistic attitude – I tend to smile most of the time.

What do you consider to be the major issues facing USMS now and in the future? As a person holding an elected position within USMS, how would you address these issues? With thousands passionate members, the future of USMS will never be in doubt. However, there are opportunities to make the organization more effective. The national office along with USMS volunteer leadership has worked to create a strategic plan that is focused and compelling. Certainly, the USMS brand has never been stronger. However, the plans and programs could be improved with greater recognition that for most of our members, the Masters experience is limited to the deck and lanes of their local pool. If coaches and clubs don’t embrace and implement USMS plans and programs, their impact will be limited. As a member of USMS leadership I will advocate for programs that respond to the needs of clubs and coaches and deliver value at the local level. Another challenge relates to the changing nature of our membership and how they want to engage as volunteers. USMS depends on volunteers to perform many services that our members desire. As we continue the transition from an organization dominated by early USMS members to one in the hands of current and future generations, we must recognize the impact of societal changes. Student debt, increased housing costs, and delays in family formation can affect the desire and ability of younger generations to contribute their time. As a leader I will listen to every segment of our membership and collaborate with them to develop volunteer opportunities that work with their lives. I will also recognize when we need to change our service delivery models, from meet management to local communications, and help develop solutions that are consistent with volunteer availability.

Please list USMS committees on which you have served. Include the dates you were on the committees and the names of the committee chairs under whom you served: Legislation Committee, 2011 – 2013, Sean Fitzgerald Chair Finance Committee, 2014 – present, Jeanne Ensign Chair

Please list any other experience that relates to your qualifications for the position. Team Captain, Walnut Creek Masters, 2007 – 2010 Chair, Pacific Masters Swimming, 2012 – 2015 Chair, Finance subcommittee on Sanction Fees, 2015 Member, planning committee for first LMSC Leadership Summit, 2015 Member, Finance subcommittee on Use of Reserves, 2016 Chair, Finance subcommittee on Budget and Fees, 2017 Pacific Masters Meet Operations and Sanction Coordinator, 2017 President, Walnut Creek Downtown Business Association, 2 years Board member, Playhouse West (local theater group), 3 years 25 Years management experience at leadership levels

Please list any other information you would like included. My proudest accomplishments relate to volunteer recognition; I have written the nomination letters for 9 Donnelly Award winners, 1 Fitness Award Winner, 1 Open Water Service Award Winner and 1 Krauser Award Winner and contributed to the nominations of 2 USMS Coach of the Year Winners and 1 Ransom Arthur Award Winner.

Please write a short summary statement that will be posted on the display board with your photograph at the HOD Meeting As your Vice President of Administration I will work with the Championship, Legislation, Registration and Rules Committees to assist in fulfilling their vital functions and challenge them to consider new ideas when appropriate. In my role as an Executive Committee member, my actions will be guided by the knowledge that, for most of our members, the Masters experience is limited to the confines of their local pool deck. As a Board member I will strive to listen to our members and help guide the organization in a direction that delivers value.

05/20/17

To Elections Committee I, Nadine Day, nominate Peter Guadagni, for Vice President of Administration.

Respectfully,

Nadine Day Date: May 20, 2017 To: The Elections Committee Subject: Letter of Recommendation

It is my honor and privilege to recommend Peter Guadagni as Vice President of Administration for the U.S. Masters Swimming Board of Directors. His breadth of experience and skills make him an ideal candidate for this position. Peter will bring to the Board his experience and knowledge of USMS at many levels.

As Vice President of Administration, USMS will have the benefit of Peter’s years of involvement in our organization. His approach to any project large or small is practical, ordered and forward‐looking. He has the ability to question “the way we’ve always done it” with respect and in keeping with our best interests. As a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors his unique perspective and ability to work in a group setting will contribute to the continued growth of USMS.

I have known Peter for a number of years through convention and he currently serves on Finance Committee. Most recently he chaired a Subcommittee and under his leadership the Subcommittee produced a concise and well‐reasoned report with recommendations up to and including proposed legislation.

Peter’s passion for swimming and his dedication to our organization make him an ideal candidate for this position. It is my pleasure to recommend Peter as the next Vice President of Administration.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jeanne Ensign USMS Finance Committee Chair MT LMSC Chair

Recommendation Letter for Peter Guadagni From: Barry Fasbender, Past Chair of Championship Committee May 22, 2017

To: The Elections Committee

This letter of endorsement and support is being written because I can think of no one more qualified to serve as the US Masters Vice President of Administration than Peter Guadagni. Peter has vision, talents, expertise, and great experience in administering Masters swimming programs on the club level, the local LMSC level as chair of the 12,000+ Pacific Masters, and as a member of US Masters Legislation and Finance Committees. In his business life, he has managed a $80 million company budget and currently administers a municipal electric and gas utility.

Peter is a man who embodies giving back to the organization that has enriched his life. He is an exceptional swimmer who has competed at every level we offer and has earned numerous Age Group Swimmer of the Year Awards, served as an official (Stroke & Turn, Starter, Head Referee at the PacMasters Championship Meet several times, and officiated at two US Masters National Championships), who gave back to his club as its team captain for four years and received the Walnut Creek Masters Bosco Award for Volunteer of the Year twice , as well as volunteered to be the Meet Director for six SCY Pacific Masters Championships, and guided Pacific Masters for four innovative years as its Chair. Pacific Masters has recognized Peter with its Distinguished Service Award, the Nancy Ridout Service Award (which under his leadership was named and elevated to the PacMasters highest award), and was given the Dorothy Donnelly Service Award by USMS.

Peter brought energy and new life to Pacific Masters during his tenure as chair. In addition to new programs and services, he undertook reorganizing the administration of Pacific Masters by replacing the traditional offices with a plan consisting of a number of elected officers and the committees for which they are responsible. Examples are Vice Presidents for Pool Meets, Open Water, Clubs and Coaches, and Communications and Technology, along with the traditional Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. This has allowed innovation and new opportunities for volunteers to participate and give back.

Additionally, Peter has given back by totally restructuring the Pac Masters Annual Meeting to offer not only a required annual business meeting that attracted few members, but turning it into an annual celebration that also includes a workout, a tech talk, a catered lunch, and an inspirational keynote speaker (, , , Anthony Ervin, ) all free of charge to our membership. Attendance at our annual meeting has gone from 30 to over 300.

Peter has served USMS at the national level as a member of the Legislation Committee and the Finance Committee, where he chaired two subcommittees and was a member of a third. He has been a convention delegate for seven years.

You can get a glimpse into Peter’s character by his citing one of his proudest accomplishments which, he notes, is writing nomination letters for the volunteers who represent the LMSC and Masters swimming at its best. Peter is about leadership, empowerment, creativity, and fulfillment. He can be counted on to use all available resources to complete a task and to offer creative alternatives to the status quo. He will make an outstanding Vice‐President of Administration for US Masters Swimming.

Sincerely,

Barry Fasbender